Judges & Judging

Meet our Judges for the 2018 Book of the Year Awards

Early Childhood Judges

JULIE LONG OAM (ACT)

Julie has a Bachelor of Education, majoring in Children’s Literature. She has taught in various schools in Victoria, England and Canberra for twenty-five years amidst time spent parenting and travelling. Julie is an active member of the CBCA ACT Branch and held numerous roles. In 2006 Julie was granted Life Membership of CBCA ACT. She has been a reviewer for Reading Time for over thirty years and spent three years as Assistant Editor. Julie was a CBCA Awards Co-ordinator for two years. She is a passionate reader and loves to share this with children in classrooms as well as young members of Scouts ACT in her role as Arts Commissioner. Julie is an honorary Life member of the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature.

AMANDA COOPER (VIC)

Amanda Cooper is a primary teacher with 35 years’ experience, specialising in Art, Library and Music. She has a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Children’s Literature. Amanda has extensive experience working at Books Illustrated Gallery assisting with exhibitions, book sales and story-time. She is committed to providing quality literature activities to students from lower socio economic areas. Amanda is also founder of ‘Gallery for a Day’ which is a travelling exhibition of original illustrations from many well-known Australian picture books. Artworks from her collection are exhibited together with the books forming the basis of an engaging interactive workshop incursion for primary aged students. Amanda loves introducing children to picture books, their illustrations and the creative process involved in their making.

RUTH CAMPBELL-HICKS (WA)

Ruth has lived in Australia since 1975. She obtained a Graduate Degree in Library and Information Studies, after teaching at all levels from High School to Education Support. Ruth has been Principal Librarian for the Shire of Harvey for more than twenty years, managing four busy public libraries. Ruth views libraries as hubs of the community, offering learning resources for all ages, social spaces for all members of the community, displays and events, author talks, book clubs, children’s activities. Her personal interest is in the early childhood years, this is when the foundations of literacy are laid down. Ruth is a keen traveller and often spends time doing overseas voluntary work. These experiences have given Ruth a broad understanding of the immense value of literature and being able to read.

CBCA Picture Book of the Year Judges

KAREN MACPHERSON (TAS)

Karen has a BA (Modern Asian Studies), Graduate Diploma Education (Early Childhood) and a MA Human Resources (Change Management). For ten years she worked for a children’s publishing company, in various areas of management, developing a knowledge of illustration, design, editing and production. This also enabled Karen to pass on her love of books to children and adults. Karen has worked as a teacher in the areas of early-childhood, primary and special education. In her work within public libraries she was responsible for organising various children’s activities. Karen now runs her own Education Consulting and Coaching business

JO PANCKRIDGE (VIC)

Jo holds a Bachelor of Education and a Masters Degree in Literacy and is currently the Head Teacher Librarian of the Campbell House Library, in the Junior School of The Geelong College. She has held this position for 16 years. Her chief role being that of immersing students from 3 to 9 years of age in literature and foster reading. Jo is also the Literacy Coordinator at the Junior School, supporting literature and literacy in classroom contexts from Early Learning to Year 3. The role enables her to highlight the value of rich literature as the foundation for literacy teaching and learning. Jo has contributed articles and papers to a number of publications highlighting the power of reading and quality literature for children.

JULIAN LAFFAN (ACT)

Julian is an artist, educator and curator living in Braidwood, New South Wales. He graduated from the School of Art, ANU in Canberra and also has a Bachelor of Education from ACU. He specialises in contemporary woodcuts and drawings, using these mediums to create sculptural objects and works on paper that explore themes of history and identity. Julian has produced a series of exhibitions that developed mentorship partnerships between emerging and established artists from across Australia. He is a member of The Culture Kitchen, a Canberra-based cross-cultural collaborative print group. He has also worked on cross-cultural print-based projects in East Timor, Indonesia and on the Thai-Burma border. His works are in the collection of the Australian Print Council, Canberra Museum and Gallery, and significant private collections.

CBCA Book of the Year: Older Reader Judges

MICHELLE WORTHINGTON (QUEENSLAND)

Michelle holds a Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), Master of Education (Learning Innovation), Graduate Diploma of Education (Teacher Librarian) and a Graduate Diploma of Education(Secondary). As a librarian at an all boys’ school, she feels the most important part of her job is to get the boys to read and to be excited about books. Michelle believes that reading books for enjoyment and pleasure are the most important things one can do. She reads widely within the field of children’s literature.

KATHARINE ENGLAND (SA)

Katharine has had a lifelong relationship with children’s books. As a teenager she worked weekends and holidays in a bookshop in Sydney's Kings Cross. She has an honours degree in English Literature from the University of Sydney and started her professional life as a high school English teacher. She spent three years teaching in Papua New Guinea and 35 teaching English as a Second Language at TAFE SA. Katharine has been a freelance book reviewer ever since arriving in Adelaide and currently reviews Australian and overseas fiction and children's books regularly. She teaches a course in writing reviews as part of Adelaide TAFE’s Diploma in Professional Writing. Katharine was the SA CBCA judge in 1993/4 and an Eve Pownall judge in 1997/8. She also judges the fiction and children’s sections of the SA Festival Literary Awards and continues on the judging panel for the Biennial Children’s Peace Literature Award.

JOY LAWN (NSW)

Joy has an MA in Children’s Literature and Literacy and has been a specialist in children’s and young adult literature for two decades. Formerly a teacher, Joy has wide experience in presenting at state, national and international conferences and advising teachers and others on literature. She reviews for a range of newspapers and specialist journals.Joy has written teacher notes for National Literacy & Numeracy Week (ALEA/AATE), Reading Australia (ALEA) and other professional organisations. She has chaired the children’s book judging panels in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and Queensland Literary Awards, judged the Aurealis Awards and was a CBCA fiction judge in 2009/10. She has taught a children’s/YA literature course at the University of Southern Queensland and blogs about children’s and young adult literature and literary fiction at Boomerang Books. Some of her favourite times in the year are spent chairing author sessions at the Sydney and Brisbane Writers’ Festivals. Joy is fascinated by ideas and images and how authors and illustrators express these with truth and originality.

Eve Pownall Information Book Judges

HELEN ROTHWELL (TAS)

Helen’s qualifications include a Master of Education, a Master of Teaching and she has commenced a Professional Honours in Digital Technologies. She has been a teacher for nine years. Helen is the senior staff member responsible for library liaison at her school and this involves being part of the process that purchases new and highlights existing books in response to the interests, abilities and needs of her students. She has been the Vice President of the CBCA Tasmanian Branch since 2014. Helen has reviewed books and in 2015 she was awarded the Tasmanian Department of Education’s Excellence Award as the ‘ECE and Primary Teacher of the Year’. She has a particular interest in information books as a stimulus for reluctant readers.

HEATHER ZUBEK (VIC)

Heather holds a Diploma of Teaching (Primary) and Bachelor of Education. She has spent time working in education, business, newspapers and full-time motherhood. Heather has lived and worked in Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne. As a freelance writer she submits work to The West Australian newspaper as their Children’s Literature specialist as well as for the paper’s ED! Magazine. Heather is also a regular contributor for Magpies Magazine, the Yarra Valley & Ranges Country Life Magazine and Signpost Magazine. An avid reader, Heather is conscious of the fact that early readers make life-long readers and takes every opportunity to play matchmaker with books and children. She delights in reading good books to children and adults of all ages and in helping parents turn their children into enthusiastic readers.

KERRY NEARY (QLD)

Kerry Neary has been a member of the CBCA Qld Branch for over thirty years. He is now a life member. He has served as a judge for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards on a number of occasions including twice for the Eve Pownall Award. He has reviewed children’s books for many years. This includes a reviewing segment on radio 4MBS in Brisbane which has reached its twenty-year milestone. Though retired from Teacher Librarianship for over a decade now, he remains committed to the promotion of children’s literature and family reading.

CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Reader Judges

MARGARET (NETTE) HILTON (NSW)

Nette Hilton has been an author of children’s and YA Literature for the past twenty-eight years. During this time she has been recognised for her work with shortlisting in CBCA awards, Notable books in CBCA list, shortlisted for NSW Premier’s Awards, Queensland Premier’s Awards and long listed for the Prime Minister’s Awards. Her books have been translated and are available worldwide with two titles still in print after twenty-six years. In 2014-2015 she was the Judge for senior poetry in the Dorothea MacKellar National Poetry Competition. She continues to write and, more recently, has attempted storyboarding her own picture books. Her latest novels are in the final stages of publication. Nette fills her days with books, stories and music.

DIANNE ELSON (NT)

Dianne has a BSc at the University of WA. She attended the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1987 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. Dianne subsequently completed her Masters in Public Administration 1997 and attended the Royal Australian Navy Staff College in 2000. Throughout her time as an Army Office, Dianne held a number of health planning, health administration and staff officer positions and has lived in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin. Growing up in country WA first fostered her love of reading. She continues to read widely; and constantly seeks out new books for her children and family to read. Dianne has achieved a good understanding of books and having three sons who read prolifically, she is now challenged by the array of books available for nine-year-old girls.

ANNE MARIE STROTHER (WA)

I have spent the majority of my life in schools and education. I have always been involved in teaching as an English teacher, an aerobic or Gymbaroo instructor and finally a librarian. My love of reading was fanned early with evening family trips to the library, clothed in pyjamas and snuggled into a corner reading anything I could find. From an early age I forced my father to read Snugglepot and Cuddlepie with monotonous regularly which resulted in a deep-seated hatred of Banksia nuts. Little Women soon followed as a favourite, with it still holding a special place in my heart. I was fortunate to be part of a family who firmly encouraged and fuelled a love of reading, so much so that my mother's Christmas present to her children and grandchildren is always a book, one that is bought with care and love. After teaching across the length and breadth of WA, I settled in Capel in the beautiful South West region. I am a mother to two girls, 14 and 10, wife to Len, all of whom are also never without a book. In 2008 we, as a family, spent a year travelling around Australia. It was a unique and wonderful experience, one also filled with many visits to town libraries, second-hand bookstores and playgrounds. Our family joke is that we should write a book about our travels, entitled "Best places to Play and Read around Australia". I am excited and honoured to be a part of the judging panel for the CBCA Book of the Year. Even if it means finding extra storage space to house the many books I will read over the course of my tenure.

Book of the Year

In 1946 the CBCA established annual book awards to promote children's books of high literary and artistic quality. These awards are now the most influential and highly respected in Australia.

Children's Book Week

Each year, schools and public libraries across Australia spend a week celebrating books, and Australian authors and illustrators. Teachers and librarians conduct activities relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.

Merchandise

The CBCA produces a range of promotional items, including stickers for publishers to place on winning and honour books, and support materials for teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians. The range is always changing and developing.

CBCA Conference

The Conference is a way to connect with fellow literary colleagues and immerse yourself in children’s literature providing a unique learning and networking opportunity for teacher librarians, authors, illustrators, publishing professionals, educators or simply children’s book lovers.

Donate

Throughout the year, we work in partnership with authors, illustrators, publishers and booksellers to bring literature into the hearts and minds of children. Your donation will help us continue this important work.

Reading Time

The CBCA has a strong commitment and a long history of reviewing Australian children's books. For many of the seventy years CBCA has been in existence reviews were presented in our print journal Reading Time.